Huang Yao: The Other Remarkable Chinese Guest of Malaysia

By

Colum Murphy

Oct 4, 2013 7:35 pm HKT

Huang Yao Foundation

As Chinese President Xi Jinping kicked off a three-day state visit to Malaysia, a lesser-known link between the two nations—Shanghai-born cartoonist, painter and scholar Huang Yao—is being given his due with an exhibit at Kuala Lumpur’s National Visual Arts Gallery.

Huang Yao is best known for his series of cartoons featuring the character Niubizi, which enjoyed popularity in China from the late 1930s to the mid ‘40s.

While Niubizi is largely unknown by China’s younger population today, he still is remembered by some older generations and animation historians. Through Niubizi, Huang gently poked fun at life in China as seen by ordinary citizens. But the cartoon character also had political dimensions.